Jellicle Week: Everlasting
by CommanderDataReportingForDuty
Summary: this is my attempt at BroadwayKhaos' contest. When something unexpected happens in the junkyard how will Jellylorum, always so sure handle it? WARNING CHARACTER DEATH
1. Chapter 1

**A/N this is for BroadwayKhaos' Jellicle Week thing...I felt like a sort of twist to the themes..So here you have 'Day 1: Breakup' not anything like a normal break up! WARNING THIS WILL PROBABLY BE A TRAGIC STORY...sorry R&R PLZ this is my first story**

No….he couldn't leave her; he couldn't leave her all alone. The love of her life had gone…leaving her behind.

"_GUS_! I know you love theatrics…but did you have to leave me so suddenly, so soon?" she could barely stand from the grief wracking sobs from her fragile form. The pale queen collapsed onto a velvet curtain he had brought to her when they were first mated. Rubbing her face into the fabric, she inhaled the faint scent of dust and paint and years of comfort. Jellylorum had been with Gus since they were barely adults, nearly thirty years they had spent together. She remembered the sweet feeling when she had moved into a den with him, loving his wonderful tales and smiling charisma. The face of their son swam behind her eyes, they now had grandkits too, but Gus wasn't here to see them.

A year after Grizabella had been reborn, Asparagus Sr. died. Not the wonderful glorious death he had hoped for but a quiet one, slipping away to the Everlasting Cat in the night. But she knew when she woke that he wouldn't be there, however much she hoped against it.

"Bast…why him? Why did you have to take him and leave me here?"

For the first time in nearly her whole life the loving and maternal queen felt like a kitten. She felt lost, scared and shivering in the rain, no tribe, no junkyard to shelter her. It was hard to grow older, to watch the kittens she had cared for grow up, To see her friends age and move on, to know that her darling kitten now had kittens of his own. It was hard to live with the fact she was getting old, that soon the Everlasting Cat might call her to the Heaviside Layer…he had already claimed her love. She was afraid to think her nine lives might be coming to an end.

The whole tribe was devastated by his loss, none so much as Jelly. There was a small funeral, even though his body was already beneath the earth. It was time to bury their thoughts of him, to put all of him to rest.

"Gus…ah there aren't many words to describe the old chap…he was the only father I every really knew…" Munk slid away from the group, saying the words they all felt.

"The best of story tellers, a wonderful actor, and, to many of us, a dear friend. It seems as though he would always be here, even when he left the junkyard his warm presence was here…you never really know what you can lose til you've lost it….Fireforfiddle, history decides that you were great, the only fiend of the fell." Munk smiled sadly, kissing his paw and pressing it to the old book of Shakespeare that had been Gus' prized possession all his life.

Other cats stepped out saying the words that none of them wanted to ever say, none of them wanted to say goodbye.

"Gus wove a magic much better than mine, he wove his magic on hearts, he used words to keep us enraptured," Misto followed the same gesture as Munk, kissing his paw and touching the book.

"Love you, Dad"

"We wish you a happy life-"

"filled with all things good-"

"in the Heavyside"

Cori and Tanto moved as one pressing their paws to each other's lips, and then gently caressing the book. The other cats continued their procession, Jelly watching numbly. Cassandra, Alonzo, Addie, Pounce, Demeter, Victoria, Mungo… all the familiar faces passed by her, all bringing a new and more painful memory of Gus.

"Goodbye my friend"

"No one deserved my sister more than you did," Jenny barely choked out her words.

Cettie simply cried, pressing her paw to the book and quickly retreating lest she go sobbing into her brothers arms. The other kittens seemed as heartbroken, not many of them able to say even the simple words the wanted to. When all of the cats had said their farewell the book was handed to Jelly, she would be the one left alone to bury the sadness and regret of her heart; she would be the one to bury the book of all of their love for her Mate.

Pulling the book close to her chest Jelly poured all of her memories into the pages, hoping that it would lift the wait from her shoulders….


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N sorry this one is short im trying to catch up, im a day behind, but i hope you like it anyway**

**Day 2: kitten**

* * *

"_Oh, Everlasting Cat is there ever any time alone? "_

"_No" my new mate Gus stands behind me knowing I'm only teasing. Laughing brightly I turn towards the younger kits, the new silver tabby Munk has especially latched onto me. He and Tugger are best friends, they balance each other out. I've always loved kits, always wanted one of my own._

The memory burns, but the aging queen still holds tightly to the book. She will go through every memory no matter how painful.

"_It seems like we were just kits too…time waits for no cat.." I grin at my tom; he's older than me by a few years but always a young at heart. We sit there curled together watching the kittens play in the clearing. My little sister Jenny is always trying to play house, she wants everyone to be a good child while she mothers them and Skimbleshanks plays the father. _

They were mated now, Skimble and Jenny…their kits grown…

_Tugger was wrestling with Munk, Bomba rooting for Tugger, Demeter on the opposing side. Little Alonzo was attempting to tell a story to Cassandra, Addie, and the newest kitten Exotica. Cassandra seemed more intrigued by the way the wind blew Lonzy's whiskers, Addie not at all happy that he was being talked to AGAIN, and baby Exo hardly keeping her eyes open. _

And they were older now too. They all seemed to be older than she could ever have imagined. Alonzo and Cassandra together, little Jem the daughter of Demeter and Munk, Tugger and Bomba…they all were moving on.

_Their first kitten, Asparagus Jr., came then. He looked just like his father, outgoing, sweet, and perfect. _

She remembered raising the rambunctious tom, always in and out of trouble. She could see all the faces of the kittens she and Gus had cared for. There was hardly a one that hadn't had a cut patched up, or a face dried, or a comforting hug, or help of any kind from the lovely couple. Stories could be heard out of their den at all hours. Tears slid gently down Jellylorum's face as she looked at her and her mate with all the cats they had ever loved.

_Munkustrap smiled sweetly at the little golden kitten attached to his side. She was always near him always begging him to play a game with her, to talk to her, and when they got older, to kiss her._

_Tugger flaunting his dancing, asking Gus if he could perform, if he could ever be a star. _

_Bombalurina trying to dance and falling down giggling, Cassandra trying to keep a straight face as Alonzo did tricks for her. _

_Their kit, Asparagus holding hands with Exotica, laughing together. _

_Cori and Tanto having silent conversations with each other, always watching with keen eyes. _

_Misto discovering his magic, Victoria wishing to dance for her 'Grandparents', Jemmima sitting silently by Gus, Tumble and Pounce chasing the tails of the other, Plato pinning away for little Teazer, Etcy and Electra squealing gaily, Mungo stealing Gus' old props, returning them with a sheepish grin. _

Those kittens now…kittens no more. But they would always be _their_ kittens. Her and Gus'…They were all kittens in many ways still.


End file.
